This morning I sautéed spinach in olive oil and ate it with a poached egg. It got me thinking about a “voice” from my past: Popeye the Sailorman! He was “strong to the finish ‘cause he ate his spinach!” Remember his girlfriend Olive Oyl? What a fabulous pair!
Spinach is a beautiful, flowering plant native to Central and Southwest Asia. Supposedly, back in the 16th century when the famous, spinach-loving Catherine de Medici left her home in Florence, Italy to marry the king of France, she brought along her own personal cooks who knew exactly how to prepare spinach the way she loved it. Since then, popular spinach dishes are often referred to as “a la Florentine,” such as Eggs Florentine, Lasagna Florentine, etc.
Take a look behind the scenes at Whole Foods Market’s Gluten Free Bakehouse. In 1996, Lee Tobin was diagnosed with celiac disease, and, as a baker in our Chapel Hill, North Carolina, store, this presented a real challenge. But Lee took it on! He began experimenting with gluten free baking on his own time, developing recipes that rivaled conventional goods in flavor and texture. Over the years, Lee’s gluten free breads and baked goods flew off the shelves faster and faster. By October 2004, he was proud to fire up the gluten free ovens in the new, completely separate, dedicated facility: the Whole Foods Market Gluten Free Bakehouse.
For the past few weeks, we’ve been cleaning at my store. Not just the normal cleaning that we do every day, the clutter cleansing, head clearing, let-the-sunshine-in kind of cathartic purging that can only be known as spring cleaning. Where once stood stacks of firewood, now rises racks of seeds — geraniums, marigolds, morning glories. Displays of hot cocoa mix and marshmallows have come down, and end caps (the displays that you see on the ends of our grocery aisles) highlighting chicken broth and spice for soups have been moved back to their normal places on the shelves. All to make room for the first harbingers of spring — the celebrations of Passover and Easter.
Are you planning to serve ham for your celebratory Easter meal? Ham was always the classic choice at my house when I was growing up. But, honestly, I had no idea why. So to prepare for writing this blog, I did what we all do nowadays – I hit the internet for some quick, unscientific research.
My co-worker, Chris Ford, is a great chef. Both of us share a passion for food and can speak eloquently about whatever seasonal item strikes our fancy, but Chris is a bolder, more adventurous cook. Also far more patient – he once described the steps he takes to produce a red wine and herb reduction that sounds delicious but would never survive an impulsive, impatient chef like me. These days the topic occupying our kitchen chats and afternoon musings is spring vegetables. Domestic asparagus is starting, as are spring onions and garlic, with my favorite spring vegetable, artichokes, soon to follow. The dialogue mostly revolves around some of our favorite springtime dishes; his is a lemon-braised artichoke heart; mine a cream of artichoke soup.
Don’t get caught in a dinner pinch. You’ll save some green and some time by following our weeklong meal plan for four (or a few more). These ideas, recipes and tips are designed to help you get the most from your grocery budget. How lucky is that?
Remember the budget tip of serving smaller portions of very flavorful meat with larger side dishes when you have corned beef with Cabbage and Cheddar Gratin. Stash lots of corned beef for sandwiches a few days later.
THURSDAY: 2010 Comfort Food
This one’s simple and awesome! Chicken Taco Pizza. A giant green salad makes it a satisfying meal.
The weather is starting to change, the trees are beginning to bud and the food on our tables is getting a spring makeover! From garden parties to Passover dinner and Easter brunch, there are so many wonderful reasons to enjoy delicious meals with family and friends. Here are some of our favorite recipes for the season.
Spring Nibbles
Start off with these adorable Buttermilk-Chive Biscuits filled with ham, or make them when you have leftover Easter ham.
In Part 2 of our series on Natural Energy, we take a closer look at ingredients in the top natural energy products and supplements. Dr. Hyla Cass tells us about what to look for, including vitamins and herbs, and what to steer clear of when choosing one of the many popular products that promise a boost these days. Dr. Cass is one of the country’s foremost authors and speakers on the subject of integrative medicine.
You know the spiel about whole grains, right? But do you know the spiel about spelt? Pardon my German, but in honor of my ancestors from Deutschland, I take great pride in “spieling” about spelt; it’s one of my favorite grains. In fact, it’s so good it was recognized in ancient times as a fundamental health food brimming with exceptional qualities. Let me explain. Read the rest of this entry »
As we roll into March, warmer weather finally seems within reach, and an infamously petite blossom starts vying for our attention. Author Gertrude S. Wister was quoted as saying: “The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size.” Daffodils most certainly deserve their place in this declaration; as the birth-flower for March, they are oftentimes the first bulb seen coming up from the frosty ground. Traditional wisdom implies that to ensure happiness, always give daffodils in a bunch, as they are an emblem of luck and future prosperity. Read the rest of this entry »
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As we roll into March, warmer weather finally seems within reach, and an infamously petite blossom starts vying for our attention. Author Gertrude S. Wister was quoted as saying: “The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size.” Daffodils most certainly deserve their place in this declaration; as the birth-flower for March, they are oftentimes the first bulb seen coming up from the frosty ground. Traditional wisdom implies that to ensure happiness, always give daffodils in a bunch, as they are an emblem of luck and future prosperity. 
